Lighting systems in the prior art are typically formed by interconnecting, via a communications system, a plurality of lighting fixtures and providing for operator control of the plurality of lighting fixtures from a central controller. Such lighting systems may contain multiparameter light fixtures, which illustratively are light fixtures having two or more individually remotely adjustable parameters such as focus, color, image, position, or other light characteristics. Multiparameter light fixtures are widely used in the lighting industry because they facilitate significant reductions in overall lighting system size and permit dynamic changes to the final lighting effect. Applications and events in which multiparameter light fixtures are used to great advantage include showrooms, television lighting, stage lighting, architectural lighting, live concerts, and theme parks. Illustrative multi-parameter light devices are described in the product brochure entitled “The High End Systems Product Line 2001” and are available from High End Systems, Inc. of Austin, Tex. A variety of different types of multiparameter light fixtures are available. One type of advanced multiparameter light fixture is an image projection lighting device (“IPLD”).
In the prior art, the “DL2” (trademarked) image projection lighting device has a lamp housing and a projector housing including a projector device. The lamp housing has a back door which can be taken off to access the projector device. The projector device has a back door which can be opened to access a projector lamp. The projector lamp can then be taken out and replaced. However, the projector device used with the DL2 is being discontinued and a different projector device named the “LX650” trademarked or a version of the LX650 will in the future be used with an image projection lighting system. An unmodified version of the LX650 has a filter door which must be opened before a lamp door screw can be accessed. The lamp door screw can then be unfastened and then the lamp door can be opened to take out the projector lamp. However, if the LX650 is placed into a lamp housing similar to the DL2, the entire or nearly the entire LX650 has to be taken out of the lamp housing in order to open the filter door. In the unmodified version of the LX650, after the filter door has been opened, only then can the lamp door be opened to allow access, removal, and replacement of a projector lamp.
In their common application, IPLDs are used to project their images upon a stage or other projection surface. The control of the various parameters of the IPLDs is affected by an operator using a central controller. In a given application, a plurality of IPLDs are used to illuminate the projection surface, with each IPLD having many parameters that may be adjusted by a central controller to create a scene.
IPLDs used in an entertainment lighting system can produce many colorful images upon the stage or projection surface. IPLDs may project images onto the projection surface such as still images, video images and graphic images. The term “content” is a general term that refers to various types of creative works, including image-type works and audio works. Content is typically comprised of still images, video images or loops and computer graphical images.